Motor-actuated signal.



No. 643,824. Patented Feb. 20,1900.

T. B. KEELEB.

MOTOR ACTUATED SIGNAL;

(Application filed May 10, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS B. KEELER, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARDRAILROAD SIGNAL COMPANY, OE TROY, NEW YORK.

MOTOFi-ACTUATED SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 643,824, dated February20, 1900.

Application filed May 10, 1899. Serial No. 716,214. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THADDEUS B. KEELER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Rahway, in the county of Union and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Motor-ActuatedSignals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates-to a motor-actuated signal and includes thesubject-matterof my pending application, Serial No. 708,503, but goesfurther and provides for the automatic movement of the actu ating-wheelto complete its revolution ready for prompt action when the signal is tobe set to safety. It also provides for locking the blade againstunintentional droppingunder the weight of snow and ice or other foreignsubstance and for positively returning the blade to its normal or dangerposition in the event of the blade failing to return when released underthe infiuence of gravity. I do not, however, wish to be understood aslimiting the subjectmatter of my present application to the particularform of motor-signal which I have chosen to illustrate its practicalapplication, as some or all of the features may be applied eitherdirectly or with obvious modifications to other forms.

The accompanying drawing represents in side elevation the arrangement ofparts which I find eminently practicable, the cover of the casing beingremoved to show the operating mechanism and the electric circuits beingdiagrammatically represented in connection with the parts within thecasing.

The parts are represented in the drawingin their normal positions,withsignal at danger.

The supporting-post is denoted by A, the signal-blade by B, itscounterbalance by B, and the point where the blade is pivotally attachedto the post is denoted by b.

A supporting-piece O is secured to rock with the blade and has attachedthereto the rocking latch c, the rocking detent c, and the electromagnet0 which latter, through its armature 0 operates upon one arm of thedetent c to lock and release the latch c as the electromagnet c isenergized or deenergized. The nose of the latch c engages a recess d inthe curved rim d of a rocking segment D, mounted on the shaft b of thesignal-blade to move independently of the signal-blade whenever releasedtherefrom by the latch.

The segment D is positively operated by means of a pitman (1 whichconnects it with a crank-arm e on a worm-wheel E, mounted on a suitableaxle within the casing F. The worm-wheel E is actuated by a worm g onthe shaft of a motor, in the present instance an electric motor G, alsosuitably supported within the casing F.

A bar-spring H is fixed within the casing F with its free curved end inposition to press against the end of the pitman d on the crank e withjust sufficient force to arrest the motion of the worm-wheel when thepower has been cut off from the motor to prevent the worm-wheel frommoving too far under its momentum.

The main controlling electric circuit, which may be assumed to come froma signal-tower, (not shown,) is represented by the wires K K, the latterleading directly to one pole of the electromagnet I, and the former, bymeans of wires 70, leading to and through the electromagnet c and thenceto the opposite pole of the electromagnet I. This arrangement places theelectromagnet 0 which controls the detent c for locking and releasingthe latch c, in the main controlling-circuit, so that the electromagnetsI and c are simultaneously energized or deenergized by the closing oropening of the main controlling-circuit K K.

The armature I of the magnet I normally engages a contact-point l andcloses circuit through a battery M and an electric circuit includingsaid battery, the electric motor G, and a pair of contact-arms N N. Thiscircuit may be traced as follows: from one pole of the battery M, alongto one pole of the electric motor G, thence from opposite pole of motorG, along wire I." to contact-arm N, thence from contact-arm N, alongwire L to contact-point Z, and thence through armature I and Wire L toopposite pole of battery M. The contact-arms N N are one or both of thempreferably made of resilient materialbrass, for eXample-and the arm N isheld normally out of contact with the arm N, thus forming a break in theback contact-circuit hereinabove last described.

There the electromagnet I is energized, its armature I closes contactbetween two contact-pieces 0 0 in circuit with battery M, motor G, and apair of contact-pieces p p in the switch-bar P. This circuit may betraced as follows: from contact 0, through wires 0 and L to battery M,thence along wire L to motor G, thence along wires L and O to contact19, thence to contact 1) and along wire 0 to contact 0.

\Vhen the signal is at danger position, the contact-pieces p p are heldclosed by suitable mechanical mechanism under the control of thesignalblade, in the present instance by a cam q, arranged to be rockedby any well-known means connecting it with the blade, and when the bladeis dropped into safety position the cam q will permit the contact-piecep to spring away from the piece and break circuit.

The operation is as follows: Suppose the parts to be in the normalposition represented in the drawings, with the signal blade at dangerand the main controlling-circuit open. The operator wishing to set thesignal at safety,for example, to permit a train to pass closes thecircuit K K, thereby simultaneously energizing the electromagnets I and0 The latter locks the latch c by means of the detent c and the formerdraws the armature I away closes circuit between the contact-pieces 0 0.This completes circuit through battery M, motor G, and contact-pieces pp, thereby setting the motor in operation, rotating the worm-wheel E,and by means of the pitman d rocking the segment D and the signalblade,locked thereto, down into the safety position. As the blade B approachesthe safety position the cam q, rocked by the movement of the blade,breaks contact between the pieces 2) and p, and thereby breaks thecircuit which is for the moment actuating the motor G, and the signalremains at safety. lVhen the operator, for example, after the train haspassed, wishes to return the signal to danger, he opens the main circuitK K, thereby deenergizing the magnets I 0 The latter releases the detentc, which in turn releases the latch c and permits the blade 13 to returnto danger position under the weight of its counterbalance B. The former,I, permits the armature I to drop into engagement with the contact-pointZ, and thereby closes circuit through the battery M, motor G, andcontact-arms N N, which latter have been permitted to come intoengagement by the lifting of the pitman (Z and the arm of the segment D,to which it is attached. This will again start the motor and continuethe rotation of the worm-wheel and positively rocking the segment D backinto its normal position, ready for prompt action when it is again to bemoved to safety. As the scgmentD nears the completion of its returnmovement from the contact-point Z and it draws the contact-arm N awayfrom the arm N, thereby breaking circuit through the motor, the momentumof which is overcome by the pressure of the spring H on the end of thepitman (P. The return of the segment D to its normal position immediate]T upon the opening of the main controlling-circuit K K serves to bringthe latch 0 into engagement with the recess d in the segment, andthereby prevents the blade from dropping under weight of snow and ice orother foreign matter, since the engagement of the latch with the segmentis such that while it permits the blade to rise independently of thesegment when the detent c is released it will not permit the blade todrop independently of the segment when the nose of the latch is in therecess (:1. Furthermore, the continued movement of the worm-wheel andconsequent return movement of the segment will positively return theblade B from its safety to its danger position whenever from any causeit may have failed to release itself from the segment and return undergravity.

In speaking of the operation of the signal I have assumed an operator ata tower 0r signal-station. In using the signal in connection with anautomatic system where a trackcircuit under the control of a train isutilized a suitable track instrument would take the place of theoperator in closing and opening the main controlling-circuit.

What I claim is- 1. A motor-signal comprising a signal-blade mounted totilt, a motor for actuating the signal, a main signal-controllingcircuit, a primary circuit through the motor and a second circuitthrough the motor under the control of the main signal-controllingcircuit for antomatically operating the motor for a predetermined periodafter the main controlling circuit is broken, substantially as setforth.

2. A motor-signal com prising a signal-blade mounted to tilt, a motor, arocking segment under the control of the motor, means for looking therocking segment to and releasing it from the signal-blade, a mainsignal-controlling circuit, a primary circuit through the motor and asecond circuit through the motor for automatically returning the rockingsegment to its normal position when the main circuit is broken,substantially as set forth.

3. A motor-signal comprisingasignal-blade mounted to tilt, amotor-signal-actuating mechanism under the control of the motor, a mainsignal-controlling circuit, a primary circuit through the motor, asecond circuit through the motor and circuit-closing mechanism under thecontrol of the said signalactuating mechanism to close the secondcircuit through the motor when the main controlling-circuit is broken,substantially as set forth.

4. A motor-signal com prisinga blade mounted to tilt, a motor,signal-actuating mechanism under the control of the motor to tilt theblade, a main signal-controlling circuit, an

electromagnet included in said circuit, a pri mary circuit through themotor and a second circuit through the motor and including the armatureof the said magnet as a part of the circuit, said second circuit beingcompleted on the opening of the main circuit through a back contact ofsaid armature, substantially as set forth.

5. A motor-signal comprising a signal-blade, a motor, signal-actuatingmechanism under the control of the motor, means for connecting saidsignal-actuated mechanism to and releasing it from the blade, a mainsignalcontrolling circuit for locking the signal-actuating mechanism toand releasing it from the blade, an electromagnet included in saidcircuit, a primary circuit through the motor, a second electromagnet inthe main signalcontrolling circuit for completing the circuit throughthe motor, and a second circuit 4 through the motor under the control ofsaid second electromagnet to be closed when the main circuit is opened,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the signal-operating mechanism, the motorengaged therewith,

' the primary circuit through the motor, the

main controlling-circuit for energizing the motor-circuit and anelectromagnet included in said main controlling-circuit, of a secondelectric circuit through the motor, including the armature of saidelectromagnet, and contact-pieces included in said second electriccircuit under the control of the signal-operating mechanism to be closedand opened, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of May, 1899.

. THADDEUS B. KEELER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. LAVARACK, T.'GEo. STIL s.

